The sprint medley relay (SMR) is a track and field event in which teams of four athletes compete over sprinting distances as part of a relay race. Unlike most track relays, each member of the team runs a different distance. The sprint medley is rather uncommon, run most frequently at non-championship track meets which are focused on relays. Since these are not championship events, specific criteria for the event are not in common rulebooks. This leads to localized variations.
Sprint medley usually consists of two shorter sprints, followed by two single longer events. Usual conduct for safety is to run the shorter events first, in lanes to allow faster moving sprinters to exchange without interference. And faster moving athletes will have a more consistent tempo to prepare a handoff than with longer sprinters who are more prone to decelerate inconsistently as they finish their leg. By running two shorter sprints, mathematically the events can be conducted over an even number of laps.
The 2-2-4-8 sprint medley relay was held at the 1908 Summer Olympics, with a winning time of 3:29.4.[1]
Common lengths of the race could be 800 meters or 1600 meters. The 800 meters variation usually would be two 100 meters legs, a 200 meters leg and a 400 meters leg. The 800 meter version is sometimes referred to as the Super Sprint Medley Relay to distinguish it from the longer version. More commonly, the 800 meters version is distinguished by abbreviated leg numbers (1-1-2-4). The events are usually not referred to by their cumulative distance as that would tend to indicate 4 legs of the same distance. The 1600 meters variation usually would be two 200 meters legs, a 400 meters leg and an 800 meters leg. It would be named numerically (2-2-4-8).[2] Some have done a 1000 meters variation, which does not fit into an even number of laps, running a 100 meters leg, a 200 meters leg, a 300 meters leg and a 400 meters leg. The (1-2-3-4) format is referred to as the Swedish relay. At some youth level meets, where the handoff is not as refined, the 400 meters leg has been conducted first. This is consistent with a related event, the Distance medley relay which starts with a longer race. At a higher level of athlete, this would put handoffs for short sprinting legs into theoretical common passing zones unless the track is specifically marked with the 4 turn stagger required to run a 4 × 200 meters relay entirely in lanes. Short sprinters moving around in a common passing zone at the last moment is a potentially chaotic situation.
The descriptions below describe how to conduct the variations of the event using commonly available markings. It is assumed 4 turn staggers are not common, and even if they are marked, appropriate passing zones are not marked for the (1-1-2-4) version using either a 4 turn or 3 turn stagger. So these descriptions use a standard 2 turn stagger, causing the athletes to break to the inside following the exchange at the end of the first lap. Colors mentioned are specific only if the track is marked following rulebook recommendations. Since they are only recommendations in the rulebook, some tracks choose to paint their lines using localized color schemes.
The start and first two legs are conducted identical to a 4 × 100 meters relay, using the same passing zones, these would be colored yellow. The third leg of 200 meters would skip the third 4x100 zone and handoff at the blue 4 × 400 meters relay passing zone. Because the incoming leg is running 200 meters, the outgoing 400 meters leg is allowed to use the acceleration zone before the pass.[3] After receiving the baton, the final leg would break to the inside as in a 4x400 race on a 2 turn stagger.
Some might choose to run the 200 meter leg first, inverting the skipped zone on the first lap from the third zone to the first zone.
The race would start the same as a 4x400 on the white/blue/white lines, but since the first two athletes are doing 200 meters, would skip the first and third exchange zones used in the 4x100, only using the yellow second zone halfway around the track. On an indoor 200 meter track, this would be conducted in exactly the same fashion as an outdoor 4x400, with the runners breaking to the inside following the first lap, except the athletes would be allowed to use the acceleration zone. On an outdoor track, the third runner would exchange in the standard blue 4x400 zone and would then break to run in lane one at the green break line at the beginning of the back straight (500m into the race). The final exchange would also be like a 4x400 exchange, but the final runner would do an 800 meters (This race is sometimes run in reverse order, beginning with the 800 meter leg, followed by the 400 leg, and then finishing with the two 200 meter legs).
| Rank | Time | Team | Nation | Date | Place | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1:35.20 | Destinee Brown Aaliyah Brown Kimberlyn Duncan Raevyn Rogers | 28 April 2018 | Philadelphia | [4] | |
| 2 | 1:35.59 | Morolake Akinosun English Gardner Dezerea Bryant Miki Barber | 29 April 2017 | Philadelphia | [5] | |
| 3 | 1:36.05 | University of Nebraska Rhonda Blanford Angie Thacker Janet Burke Merlene Ottey | 9 April 1983 | Austin | [6] | |
| 4 | 1:36.64 | Atoms TC Jennifer Inniss Helena Nelson Grace Jackson Diane Dixon | 5 April 1986 | Tempe | [7] | |
| 5 | 1:36.67 | Audra Segree Natasha Morrison Anastasia Le-Roy Verone Chambers | 29 April 2017 | Philadelphia | ||
| 6 | 1:36.70 | University of Tennessee Sharrieffa Barksdale Cathy Rattray Benita Fitzgerald Delisa Walton | 29 May 1981 | Austin | [8] | |
| 7 | 1:36.79 | Wilt's AC Brenda Morehead Jeanette Bolden Alice Brown Arlise Emerson | 20 June 1982 | Knoxville | [9] | |
| 8 | 1:36.80 | Los Angeles TC Pam Page Rhonda Blanford Merlene Ottey Latanya Sheffield | 16 June 1985 | Indianapolis | [10] | |
| 9 | 1:36.81 | Louisiana State University Tananjalyn Stanley Cinnamon Sheffield Esther Jones Dawn Sowell | 8 April 1989 | Austin | ||
| 10 | 1:37.06 | University of Texas Carlette Guidry Tamela Saldana Leslie Hardison Barbara Flowers | 8 April 1989 | Austin | ||
| 11 | 1:37.11 | University of Texas Charletta Gaines Carlette Guidry Mary Bolden Barbara Flowers | 8 April 1988 | Austin | ||
| 12 | 1:37.22 | Lekeisha Lawson Tawanna Meadows Kim Duncan Autumne Franklin | 29 April 2017 | Philadelphia | ||
| 13 | 1:37.29 | California State-Los Angeles Valerie Milan Yolanda Rich Cynthia Mills Rosalyn Bryant | 26 May 1978 | Knoxville | [11] | |
| 14 | 1:37.32 | Arizona State University Tesra Bester LaShawn Simmons Shanequa Campbell Maicel Malone | 6 April 1991 | Tempe | ||
| 15 | 1:37.40 | Ali TC Adrienne Lair Rosalyn Bryant Jackie Pusey Denean Howard | 15 June 1980 | Walnut | ||
| 16 | 1:37.41 | UCLA Missy Jerald Jeanette Bolden Florence Griffith Sherri Howard | 29 May 1981 | Austin | ||
| 17 | 1:37.42 | Khalifa St. Fort Reyare Thomas Kai Selvon Sparkle McKnight | 28 April 2018 | Philadelphia | ||
| 18 | 1:37.46 | Puma Energizer Pam Page Sandra Howard Lisa Hopkins Rosalyn Bryant | 19 June 1983 | Indianapolis | ||
| 19 | 1:37.57 | LA Naturite T Howard Denean Howard Ada Hay Dunlap | 20 June 1982 | Knoxville | ||
| 20 | 1:37.64 | Puma TC Janet Burke Wendy Vereen Randy Givens Juliet Cuthbert | 16 June 1985 | Indianapolis | [12] | |
| 21 | 1:37.86 | LA Naturite Ada Hay Jennifer Inniss Yolanda Rich Jackie Pusey | 21 June 1981 | Sacramento | ||
| 22 | 1:37.87 | Dezerea Bryant Aaliyah Brown Destiny Carter Raevyn Rogers | 27 April 2019 | Philadelphia | [13] | |
| 23 | 1:37.88 | Atoms TC Serina Henry Helena Nelson Grace Jackson Diane Dixon | 7 April 1984 | Tempe | ||
| 24 | 1:37.95 | Louisiana State University Kim Carson Cheryl Taplin Heather Van Norman Youlanda Warren | 3 April 1993 | Austin | ||
| 25 | 1:37.96 | Ms International Alice Jackson | 19 June 1983 | Indianapolis | ||
| Rank | Time | Team | Nation | Date | Place | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3:10.76 | Santa Monica Track Club Carl Lewis Ferran Tyler Benny Hollis Johnny Gray | 6 April 1985 | Tempe | ||
| 2 | 3:11.08 | Athletic Attic Mel Lattany Larry Myricks Walter McCoy James Mays | 2 April 1983 | Tempe | ||
| 3 | 3:11.45 | Beejay Lee Wallace Spearmon Bryshon Nellum Donavan Brazier | 29 April 2017 | Philadelphia | [14] | |
| 4 | 3:11.72 | Santa Monica Track Club Mark McNeil Carl Lewis Anthony Ketchum Johnny Gray | 7 April 1984 | Tempe | ||
| 5 | 3:11.88 | Bud Light Mel Lattany Larry Myricks Walter McCoy James Mays | 7 April 1984 | Tempe | ||
| 6 | 3:11.94 | Texas A&M Fred Kerley Elijah Morrow Mylik Kerley Devin Dixon | 28 April 2017 | Baton Rouge | ||
| 7 | 3:12.00 | Nike Atlantic Coast Tod Long Neil DeSilva Calvin Davis Sean Maye | 5 April 1996 | Austin | ||
| 8 | 3:12.02 | Tiger International Bill Collins Fred Taylor Mark Rowe Mike Solomon | 2 April 1983 | Tempe | ||
| 9 | 3:12.10 | USA Red Leo Bookman Karron Conwright Mitch Potter Khadevis Robinson | 30 April 2005 | Philadelphia | ||
| 10 | 3:12.13 | Arkansas Chandun O'Neal Melvin Lister Sam Glover James Karanu | 7 April 2000 | Austin | ||
| 11 | 3:12.17 | Auburn University Sanjay Ayre Coby Miller Avard Moncur Aaron Richberg | 7 April 2000 | Austin | ||
| 12 | 3:12.19 | University of Alabama LeMar Smith Calvin Smith Terry Menefee William Wuyke | 30 April 1983 | Des Moines | ||
| 13 | 3:12.25 | Louisiana State University Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake Jaron Flournoy Michael Cherry Blair Henderson | 28 April 2017 | Baton Rouge | ||
| 14 | 3:12.30 | Abilene Christian University Joseph Styles Kevin Dilworth Robert Guy Savieri Ngidhi | 7 April 1995 | Austin | ||
| 15 | 3:12.75 | Santa Monica Track Club Floyd Heard Carl Lewis LaMont Smith Johnny Gray | 20 April 1997 | Walnut | ||
| 16 | 3:12.77 | Rice University Terry Jones Vince Courville John Bell Gawain Guy | 30 April 1983 | Des Moines | ||
| 17 | 3:12.88 | Abilene Christian University Joe Styles Kevin Dilworth Robert Guy Savieri Ngidhi | 28 April 1995 | Philadelphia | ||
| 18 | 3:13.00 | Baylor University Kermit Ward Michael Johnson Raymond Pierre Terril Davis | 8 April 1989 | Austin | ||
| 19 | 3:13.06 | Texas Tech Michael Mathieu Tyree Gailes Andrae Williams Jonathan Johnson | 8 April 2005 | Austin | ||
| 20 | 3:13.12 | Remontay McLain Markesh Woodson Reggie Wyatt Casimir Loxsom | 29 April 2017 | Philadelphia | ||
| Mississippi State Rodrigo Rocha Philip Smith Alfred Larry Brandon McBride | 2 April 2016 | Gainesville | ||||
| 22 | 3:13.21 | University of Florida Rickey Harris Aaron Armstrong Geno White Moise Joseph | 27 April 2001 | Philadelphia | ||
| 23 | 3:13.22 | Auburn University Sanjay Ayre Coby Miller Avard Moncur Aaron Richberg | 28 April 2000 | Philadelphia | ||
| 24 | 3:13.28 | University of Tennessee Donelle Dunning Shane Lacy Marwin Kline Jose Parrilla | April 1994 | Philadelphia | ||
| 25 | 3:13.31 | University of Texas Jason Leach Earle Laing John Patterson Pablo Squella | 4 April 1986 | Austin | ||